Quil & Claire's Letters
by EssaTheTwerp
Summary: When Quil finally tells Claire the truth she refuses to talk to him. He starts to write letters to her to let her know how much he cares. She eventually writes back. While reading each other's words, they both realize how much they really love each other.
1. The First Letter, Age Two

**Okay, if you like it, review it please! Also, tell me if you think it should be more than a three-shot, and I should write more?? I was thinking of having him write fourteen letters (one for each of the years he's known her) and then a bonus chapter, so please tell me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Stephenie Meyer does... If I did why the hell would I be writing this???**

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I rested my head lightly on my pillow, grimacing slightly. My frown was deep, pondering. I ran my hand through my hair, trying to get it to straighten into at least a thin line. But no, it was still in tact, as it had been for the last few days.

Again, I felt my mind wander to her… She had been entering my thoughts, only to be pushed out and immediately reenter, for as long as my frown had stayed on my face.

Usually, she entered my mind, and I wouldn't try to push the thoughts of her away. She was too magnificent, too beautiful, too incredible, to not be thought of. Yet now, my stomach tightens, my mouth runs dry, and my legs start to wobble, whenever she crosses my mind.

And at the same time, I feel that rush; that warming of my heart, the way my soul seems to soar with glee… But all that was a package deal with Claire. See, when I imprinted on her… well, it wasn't my fault of course, and I would have waited until she was older, if it was my choice, well, now I'm procrastinating… See, Claire was two.

Yeah, go ahead and think that I'm a pedophile… I'm used to it by now. Though, in my defense, I didn't feel romantically inclined towards her at all. All she was was someone I had to protect, the girl that was from then on my life, the person I'd do anything for… my sun, my air, the gravity that bound me to this earth.

And now, I might lose that. Just because I waited until she was sixteen to tell her that I'm a werewolf. She was angry… angry as hell. She threw a fit, her words just one livid jumble.

She had started cursing, her hands making wild gestures. Her eyes were wide, furious… hurt.

That stung. That really, _really_ stung. I couldn't believe that she was actually hurt by not telling her. Eventually, her anger died out, and she stormed away, leaving a worried mother, a wary family, and a miserable me in her wake.

I guess, in some retrospect, her reaction was totally and completely expected. I mean, I had hidden such a huge part of my life from her.

"Quil! Come on, the foods ready!" Emily trilled from the kitchen. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. I trudged to the table, my head hanging low.

"Oh Quil! Cheer up, I'm sure Claire will come round soon!" she said, patting my back. I sighed, resting my head on my palm.

"I don't know Emily… she was pretty angry," I stated glumly. "It'll work out," she smiled, her face glowing, "When your imprint looks at you with those eyes… and that heartbreaking look on his face, as though he did something wrong, her heart will break." she tired to assure.

Emphasis on the _tried_. My palms started to sweat even more at that. "WHAT? I don't want her to be upset over me!" I wailed, my hand slapping the table with a '_thunk_'. Emily winced as it creaked, but didn't break.

"Quil, listen to me," she said, her voice stern. I made myself turn my head to look at her again. The scarred side of her face was grimacing as usual, but the other side was soft, concerned. "Claire is my niece, and I love her very much. If I thought you would purposely hurt her in any way, I would throw a fit. You will make her happy," Emily's voice sounded commanding, like if I didn't listen I would get a serious ass-kicking.

"Alright," I whispered giving. Though, it didn't matter what Emily said, I still didn't deserve her. I was a horrible, disgusting person. She was justified to have much more than me.

"Quil, you've been there for her since she was two, I think that you've earned her trust. She's being stupid about this whole thing," Brady put in, reaching for more food. A growl erupted through my throat.

How _dare_ he say those things? My hands balled into fists as I shot up, flaring my nostrils and letting an even wilder growl loose. Sam stepped forward, putting an arm across my chest. "Calm down," he said sternly, though he glared briefly at Brady.

"Sorry, dude. But seriously, you have done a lot for her… Like, all way back when she was three and four and she was _really_ into putting make-up on people…" Brady trailed off, a smug smile on his face. I scoffed, folding my arms again.

"It made her happy… so, so happy. Unlike now," I groaned.

"Quil, you've done a lot more for her than that, maybe you can remind her of those times...?" Emily suggested gently. My eyes lit up with a sudden idea.

"Oh shit, that's it!" I exclaimed, jumping up. "It was great Emily, thanks for the food!" I called, racing out of the door.

"You didn't touch your plate Quil!" I heard her yell back, but I could hear a smile in her voice.

**-+-+-**

_Dear Claire,_

_You're five-foot-three, your favorite color is blue, but you also like greenish-yellow. Your hair is twelve inches long, and you don't plan on getting it cut any time soon, you love to write and listen to music, and hope to become a history teacher when you're grown up… fully grown up, that is. _

_Listen Claire, you mean the world to me, literally. I kind of wanted to prove it… but since you aren't talking or seeing me, I figured I could write it. I mean, you love it so much, so there must be something good to it. _

_I wanted to share one of my earliest memories of you, since I can detail a lot. _

_You were two when I first imprinted, and the months leading towards your third birthday were confusing, blissful, and a bit painful, though not in the way you think. _

_It was painful, because you lived all the way up in the Makah reservation. I ran up there almost every night, dying to see your shining face, your peaceful smile, the immense relief that you were breathing. _

_It was one of these times that I remembered the most. _

_I hadn't talked or seen you in two whole fucking days… I was dying. I remember it was raining really, really hard when I scaled your window, knowing that your parents were really hard sleepers, and would stay unconscious through a tsunami. (This worried me, a lot, actually)_

_I tired to be quiet when I stepped into your room, but unlike your parents and sister, you were a light sleeper. Later, I would find out that your mom was a heavy sleeper only when she was pregnant, but that's another story…_

_You started to stir and I panicked… what if you woke up and couldn't get back to sleep? You would be exhausted throughout the day! Or what if you started to cry, and wouldn't stop, and I would be the cause of making you cry? Your little eyelids fluttered open, your piercing blue eyes immediately finding me. _

"_Qwuiw?" your little voice asked, scared. My breath caught as I realized you were shaking. Were you afraid of me?_

"_Qwuiw… I had a bad dweam," you whispered, suddenly blinking back tears. My heart sank immediately. I reached into your crib, pulling you up. _

_I held you to my chest tightly, rocking you back and forth. Finally, you stopped sniffling. I then settled into a rocking chair and set you on my lap gently, still holding you tight as hell. _

_I was afraid if I let you go, then you might fall into a bad sleep again, getting scared. That would be like… like a fate worse than death, for you to be scared or hurt. _

"_Do you wanna tell me about this dream, Claire?" I whispered as you started to snuggle my chest. You huffed, looking at me disgruntled. _

"_GONE!" you whispered, though you emphasized the word. _

"_What was gone?" I asked you. At that, your face fell, and your expression was so heartbreaking… it almost made me cry. _

"_You was gone, Qwuiw," you whispered, and then closed you eyes, wrapping your teeny arms around my massive arm, not even being able to go completely around. _

_We both fell asleep after that, you set comfortably in my lap._

_It was six when I finally arose, carefully not moving so you wouldn't get hurt. I was a little stiff, but it was completely worth it. You looked even more adorable and innocent when you slept, and my breath got caught in my throat momentarily. You were a little angel._

_Your nightgown was blue, a fuzzy bear pattern on it. I grinned suddenly, thinking of something. "Claire-bear. You're my little Claire-bear," I said softly, so as not to wake you. (Yes, that's where the nick-name got started) _

_You sighed softly, and murmured something incoherent in your sleep. "That's right little girl, Quil loves you, he's not going anywhere." I said, smoothing your hair. Your eyes scrunched up a little bit, and then a smile lit your face, and every worry seemed to melt away. _

"_Oh, Claire, you sweet, small thing," I sighed, standing up. I placed you into your crib and you started to shiver. I pulled blankets around you and slipped to the window, my eyes staying on your face for as long as possible. _

_That's right, I can be deep._

_So that's it… I don't know if that changes anything, I just felt I needed it out of my system. _

_Love ya,_

_Silly-Quilly _


	2. The Second Letter, Age Three

_**Chapter Two - Age Three**_

_Dear Claire,_

_It's been another two days… I have to see you soon, or I don't know what I'll do… I miss your bright smile, your shiny hair… _

_You are so beautiful… You have been, always. Even when you were three… I remember in the summer you forced me to bring you to the beach every day, dancing around, making me find green rocks… _

_Green was your favorite color for a long time, you know. _

_Anyway, the time I'm going to share with you now is when I was babysitting you, your sister, and your brother for your parents. I had just finished ordering the pizza's for us (three pepperoni and sausage for me and one large pizza for you and your sister) when you approached me…_

_Your face was curious, as it often was, and you had a mildly guilty look on your face._

"_Quiw?" You were growing up pretty fast, and now you said words pretty well, but there were a few exceptions…_

"_Yeah?" I asked absentmindedly, I remember your hair was really wavy that day, and it was flowing down your back, beautiful and distracting._

"_Quil… do you like me?" you asked, your lips were pushed out, giving off a pouty look. I chuckled at your question, and then ruffled your hair… I know it sounds bad, but I really just wanted an excuse to touch it…_

"_Of course I like you Claire-bear, you're my favorite person ever," I grinned. For some reason, that made you look sad. _

"_Then why won't you tell me?" you whined. I stiffened immediately._

"_Tell you… whaddya mean, Claire?" I asked, trying to keep my voice level. You crossed your arms. _

"_Hanna overheard momma and Auntie Emily talking…" you trailed off, rolling your eyes over to one side. You climbed onto the chair next to me, leaning onto the table. _

"_What were momma and Emily talking about?" I asked you gently, plucking you out of your chair and onto my lap. You had you arms crossed again, not looking directly at me. _

"_They were talking about… you." She said after a second. I tensed even more considerably at that. Had Hanna possibly told you that I was a werewolf? I couldn't deal with that._

_You see, the idea of you finding out that I was a werewolf was so… frightening. More frightening than you could ever imagine. I was afraid that you would think I was really a pedophile, as did so many strangers, and maybe even your mom a bit._

_Or worse, you would hate me… Think of me as a monster. I couldn't bare that at the time… I can't bare it now._

"_What about me?" I asked my voice revealing panic. You bit your lip._

"_She said that you…" you paused, worry in your eyes, "you empainted me!" you exclaimed after a second. _

_I stared at you for a second. I was guessing 'empainted' was some re-worded form of imprinting, but I couldn't be sure, "Huh?" I asked you, my eyebrows rose. Your bottom lip trembled and immediately my own heart sank at seeing you upset._

"_Hanna said empainting means you're gonna paint me! And a ugly color, too… like brown! And then you're gonna… em me!" you screeched. I couldn't help but stare at you as if you were crazy, even though you were three at the time. (Actually, three and four quarters, you would murder anyone who forgot that)_

"_Err, Claire-bear, I'm not really sure what em means?" I said uncertainly. You huffed, your eyes narrowing._

"_Hanna said that em means you're gonna leave, and then never come back!" you wailed, clinging to my neck. I felt like collapsing in relief for a moment… Thank fricking god that you hadn't found out!_

_Just thinking of you, at three years old, tromping around, knowing the secret, put me into heart-attack mode. I pried you off of my neck, chuckling._

"_Claire-bear, trust me, I am in no way, going to empaint on you…" I let out a small snort at the end, whereas you slumped in relief. _

"_Well that's good. Cause' you know why?" you asked, suddenly really serious. I raised my eyebrows again at your expression, and shook my head. "Cause' I hate the color brown. It's so gro-o-ss. Plus, I wouldn't like not seeing you again. You're my best friend," you said all this as if it wasn't big deal, but those were the best words that had come out of your words yet._

_From that day on, I was no longer your baby-sitter, but your 'cool big brother' as you had once put it. And I loved every second of it… of being special to you, to be able to see you so much._

_I miss you Claire… I hope maybe you'll be able to forgive me..?_

_Your special friend, _

_Quil_

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**Ah, the glorious reviews! *Grins like an idiot* I love them… maybe y'all could do it again… it would be much appreciated! Now, I know it's been a while, but I was working on some other things and in truth, this was typed in three friggen hours! So yea, my fingers are cramping here! Ha-ha, just kidding! I love this!**

**Next chapter is The Third Letter, Age Five**

**Peace and Love, TwilightHeart21**


	3. The Third Letter, Age Four

**Chapter Three – The Third Letter, Age Four**

_Dear Claire,_

_Please, please talk to me; let me see you… something. I know I sent a letter just yesterday, but you are my world Claire, and I need to make sure you're safe… please?_

_I guess, maybe I could give you another memory… This one happens to be when you were four. Actually, about a month after you turned four. _

_It was just after Mathew started having his asthma attacks (I'm really sorry if reminding you of this hurts you, remember that he's absolutely fine now) and your parents were in the hospital. Therefore, I had to drop you off at your first day of preschool, and Hanna at her first day of sixth grade. _

_For Hanna, I just stopped in front of the building, and she climbed out, briskly walking into the school as if she owned the place. _

_You were a totally different story…_

_I pulled in front of the elementary school, and being the paranoid stalker that I was, I got out and picked you up, setting you on the ground carefully. Your face was creased with worry lines; your mouth was pressed into a line. _

_"Quil," your vocabulary was expanded to being able to say my name by then, "Do I haaave to go?" you pouted, your eyes widening innocently. By then, you were hanging with the other Imprints' regularly, and you picked up a few things, one of those things knowing how to work your imprinter. _

_My breath seemed to stop at your sad expression, but I had to remind myself of the wrath of your mother, and knew for sure that it was NOT a good idea to let you skip preschool._

_"Yes, Claire, you do have to… Besides, I thought you were excited about going to school like a big girl?" I gave you a lightly questioning look and tilted my head to the side, waiting for an answer. _

_"Well… I'm just nervous. What if the other kids don't like me?" It was such a simple problem, something that mattered so little… Yet, at that moment, it was the number one mission in my life._

_"I'll make them like you," I said confidently. You giggled as if that was the silliest thing in the world, and grabbed my thumb, starting to pull me into the school._

_"You just go ahead and do that, you weirdo." You said, still giggling. _

_I watched as you stepped into the room, tentatively looking around. _

_I watched as you approached some other girls, playing with stuffed animals._

_I watched as they grinned upon seeing you, and then welcomed you into their little group with a stuffed elephant. _

_I watched as you looked up, giving me a small smile, before going back to playing._

_Your teacher, Ms. Ricardas, came over to me then, sighing softly. I think that she most of mistook me for your dad, because she placed a hand on my shoulder, and giving me a sad look, said, "They all have to grow up sometime."_

_I remembered those words so clearly… I remember thinking about them all day, realizing finally, that yes, everyone did have to grow up someday…_

_And I knew that I didn't want you to grow up too fast. Have unnecessary things hoisted upon you. I wanted to let you have as normal a childhood as possible._

_And it was that day that I decided not to tell you until you were sixteen. _

_I love you Claire, always remember that. I hope you'll decided to talk to me soon. _

_With a lot of love,_

_Quil_

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**Hey-hey! Again, with all the review's! Y'all rock times a million bagillion and ten! **

**Maybe... just MAYBE ya could review again? It won't take up thirty seconds of your time!**

**Also... I think that Quil is the best, he's just flipping awesome. My second favorite wold EVA!!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	4. The Fourth Letter, Age Five

**Chapter Four - The Fourth Letter, Age Five**

_Dear Claire,_

_Please… I beg of you, stop torturing me with this. I don't care if you just let me get a passing glance. I need to see that you're alright. Hopefully, these stories I'm telling you will let you see that I love you so much; I just didn't want to see you hurt. _

_This is when you were five. I was babysitting you, like before, and Hanna was being particularly snotty to you that night, and as hard as you might protest, she was your idol. I know it might sound bad, but I was prone to listen in on you and Hanna's conversations. I didn't want her to say something nasty to you and get away with it._

_Mathew was already asleep, so it was pretty quiet, and because of my enhanced hearing, I was able to listen with ease…_

"_Oh, Claire. You are such a moron. You can't even freaking add? You're in flipping kindergarten! I bet I could add when I was your age!" Hanna hissed. I rolled my eyes, I knew by now that you were unaffected by most of her harsh words._

"_Oh, Hanna. I bet you couldn't!" your shrill voice yelled back. I smiled a little bit… You were smart and sassy, even then._

"_Shut up! Besides, I'm in all the top classes. I bet you'll need extra help!" she taunted. I frowned, but smiled again at your response. _

"_Na-ah! Quil will help me with all the work and help you to be even smarter than you!" you hissed back. I folded my arms across my chest, still grinning. I liked the idea that you were counting on me to be there for something, even if it was homework. It showed that I was somehow significant in you life… _

"_Mh-mmh, your personal stalker will be there to teach what zero times four is!" Hanna snorted with fake perkiness. I stiffened immediately. _

"_Hanna, what's a stalker?" you questioned, and I relaxed, but was still annoyed with Hanna. _

"_Something you don't need to know about until you're eleven at the least." Hanna said. I bit my tongue. I completely objected with that… you shouldn't know about those things until you were at least fourteen. Oh, and don't blame me for being so protective… You were still my baby then… still are. _

"_Come on, Hanna! Then use another term!" See what I mean? What five year old uses the word 'term'? You're so smart…_

"_Well, don't you find it weird how he hangs out with you so much? Or how he seems to watch you with such… love?" My heart rate sped. Was it really that obvious? _

"_No, Quil is my best friend," you answered in an angry voice._

"_Listen, Claire-Bear, I just find it creepy that a twenty-year-old is so attached to a five-year-old." Hanna tried to reason, but you were having none of it._

"_Mommy doesn't have a problem with it!" _

"_Well, that's because she's so worried about Matt; she doesn't have time to think about it!" Hanna whispered back crudely. _

"_SHUT UP!" You screamed, shrill as ever. I was about to jump up when Hanna whispered, "Claire, be quiet! He'll hear you!" You stopped breathing heavily almost immediately. _

"_Sorry. But why would you even say that? How is it creepy?" you demanded._

"_Because he's like fourteen years older than you!" she shrieked. Angrily, I stood. I couldn't take anymore of listening in on Hanna. Sorry, but she really bugs me. _

_I knocked on you guys' door, and both of you stopped talking abruptly. "Hey! Hanna-banana, Claire-bear, what are you guys talking about?" I asked calmly. _

"_Nothing!" both of you said quickly. I raised my eyebrows, but didn't contradict you. "Ah, I see… Well, I just wanted to tell you that someone is here to visit you." I was suppressing a small smile. I wanted to make you forget all the things that Hanna had just said to you._

"_Who?" you asked tentatively. I grinned evilly, spreading my hands out and advancing towards you. I would do this mostly when I wanted you to laugh or smile, because those are two of the most amazing things in this world. _

"_Mr. Tickle Monster!" I roared, attacking you suddenly. You started giggling insanely, and I felt like I was on top of the world. After a minute of you begging me to stop, I did. I pulled you onto my lap, grabbing your math worksheet. _

"_Okay! Let's get started on this homework of yours!" I smiled at you. As we started working, I suddenly heard Hanna._

"_Like I said, creepy." She didn't intend for me to hear it, but of course I did. _

_I hope I never seemed creepy to you. Or like a stalker… I was just afraid of you getting hurt. The idea in itself was frightening enough, but for it to actually occur… that was unimaginably the worst thing that could ever happen. _

_I really hope you decide to talk to me again… or at least let me see you? You've been my life ever since I was fifteen. I love you. _

_Your homework-buddy, _

_Quil _

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**Okay, THANK you guys!! All reviewers rock!! Especially one Swimming cutie xoxo who is an amazing friend, the best writer EVER (Y'all have to check out her stuff! It's beyond amazing!) and also a great reviewer!! So thanks hun, you're the best!**

**But thank you to everyone else as well! Love every word you wrote!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**

**P.S. The next chapter will be 'The Fifth Letter, Age Six'**


	5. The Fifth Letter, Age Six

**Chapter Five – The Fifth Letter, Age Six**

_Dear Claire, _

_Thank you! I'm so glad you decided to let me see you… even if it was for five minutes. I'm not sure what exactly prompted you to let me, but I hope you can hold onto that, and hopefully you'll let me see you again for forever. _

_But why were your eyes so heavy? You looked exhausted Claire-bear; I hope you're getting sleep. And you looked horribly thin… PLEASE eat if you aren't. I don't want you hurting over me. _

_It really pains me to know that you don't want to see me, but I guess if it's what you want, then I need to learn to live with it…_

_Well, I guess I should tell you another memory. This particular one happened when you were six and in first grade. I was taking you to the beach, and when the rest of the pack heard, the Uley's decided to tag along with Erik. Em was very pregnant then, so it was up to me to watch the two of you while Sam stayed with her to make sure 'she was okay'._

_Anyway, it was mysteriously warm for La Push, and the sun was even peaking through the clouds a bit. You were bouncing in my arms as I carried you down the walk, eyes bright with excitement. _

"_Oh, Quil! I'm so happy! I get to go in the water and splash around!" You sang, emphasizing each syllable as you clapped your hands. I had to admire you… you were absolutely adorable. Your blue eyes seemed to sparkle with excitement as your pouty lips lit with a glowing smile…_

"_Quil! We are here! We are here! We are here!" you had chanted, struggling to get out of my grasp. I let you down quickly and watched as you sprinted to Sam and Emily, jumping up to give Sam a hug. _

"_Hey Uncle Sam! Hi Auntie Emily." You greeted warmly, and then dropped to your knees, to say hi to your cousin. _

"_Hiya Erik." You cooed, and I watched your face screw into a silly face, trying to make him laugh. _

"_Quil! Hello! Earth to Quil!" Emily's voice broke me out of my reverie with you and I turned to her, forming a smile._

"_Hi, Em. How are you doing?" I greeted. She let out a groan, dropping to the ground with Sam's help. _

"_The baby is kicking so much! It's so weird. With Erik, he hardly kicked at all!" she complained. "Oh, by the way… if it's a girl, we're going to name her Samantha," she grinned, "Get it? So it'll be Emily and Erik and Samuel and Samantha?" I laughed to show her I understood. "But if it's a boy, he'll be named Daniel." She added as an afterthought. _

"_Quil! Can we go swimming now? Pleasepleasepleaseplease?" You leapt up suddenly, begging to be let into the water. I laughed, knowing with the face you were giving me I would be powerless anyway. _

"_Of course, Claire-bear! Is Erik ready?" I asked Sam. He just nodded, not taking his eyes off of Emily as she fanned herself. _

_Grabbing both of your hands, I lead you to the water. As soon as we were in ten feet of the shore, you took of sprinting, splashing into the cold water with energy. I heard your shrieks of joy as you dove in, sending a wave splashing onto the shore, the fingers of the waves licking the sand before receding back into the ocean. _

_I heard Erik cry out, and turned to him. Wondering why he was upset. "What's wrong Rick?" I asked him. My eyes darting from him to you quickly. _

_Honestly, I can't even remember what he said… I wasn't really listening, because right then I saw a huge, and I mean huge, wave. _

_Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that. I turned, eyes turning wide with horror while shouting your name. You turned to me, unmoving and confused… You hadn't seen it. I was frozen with fear for a second, before the startling urge to protect you took over. _

_The wave washed over your head, and I heard you let out a little scream of fear as the water dragged you under. I started at full wolf speed to you, diving into the water, no doubt sending a gigantic splash of water from the force of my body. _

_I could feel the natural tug of our imprint pulling me towards you, the only goal in my mind was to make sure you were okay, the only emotion in my body was panic. I finally found your body, wildly grasping and flailing. _

_You had already been under for thirty seconds, but I could hear your lungs tiring out. I grabbed your shoulders, securely tucking you under my arm before swimming to the surface as fast as possible. _

_I pulled you to the sand, laying you down while running my hands through your wet hair. "Claire? Claire-bear? You are okay? Oh my god… I'm so sorry Claire-bear." I almost cried right then and there…_

"_It's okay, Quil… I'm alright." I heard your soft voice and immediately slumped in relief. I saw your eyes flutter open, and everything after that was kind of a blur…_

_I just saw your beautiful blue eyes, alive, and melted. _

_I couldn't get rid of the horrible feeling that I had almost lost you that day… It was nagging me for a long time. But later, you showed me with every step and every word you spoke that you were very much alive and well, thank god. _

_But I was still scared shitless, and I couldn't believe you had almost… died. I couldn't believe that I had almost let you die…_

_I was really upset after that, and horribly protective, but thankfully I grew out of some of it…_

_I really love you, you know? Hopefully I'll be able to see you full time soon…_

_Love Your Lifeguard, _

_Quil _

**Oooh, I am SO sorry for the lack of updates!! School is taking me over, along with the fact that I just started a new story, stupid, I know, but that's me for ya!**

**So once again, I am sorry, and hopefully you'll have it in you to review!! **

**As always, TwilightHeart21**

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	6. The Sixth Letter, Age Seven

**Chapter Six – The Sixth Letter, Age Seven **

_Dear Claire, _

_Hi, honey… I heard from your mom that you were sick… I hope you're feeling better soon. Are you throwing up? If you are, I wish I could be there holding your hair back. I really wish that you would answer one of these letters… _

_I would love to hear your voice, but to even read your words, knowing they were intended for me to read… imagining your assuring voice saying them, that would be enough. _

_I'm still trying to understand exactly why you aren't talking to me… I hope people have been trying to explain to you that when I first imprinted on you, there was absolutely nothing romantic about it. You were simply my world, my god, the toddler that could send me to my knees with one gurgle. _

_I want to be there for you, for everything. I can be anything you want, a friend, a babysitter, a brother...and if you wished it, your lover…_

_Anyway, I guess when I think about that, it brings me back to the very first time I had strange, new feelings for you… When I had those feelings it scared me shitless, so you don't have to worry about them being intentional. _

_I was on my way to your house after you finished school, as always, and was buzzing with excitement, as usual. I loved looking forward to seeing you every day. It was the best part of my day._

_Hanna was usually there, but your dad was teaching her how to drive so you were alone for about ten minutes before I got there. That drove me insane, knowing you were without an ounce of protection, for just ten minutes…_

_I had almost broken down the door in my haste to get to you, calling your name loudly as I stumbled into the kitchen. "Quil!" you had called cheerfully, jumping up to give me a hug. I caught you with ease, wrapping your arms around my neck as I kissed your head softly. _

"_How was your day, Claire-bear?" I had asked you, grinning ear to ear as I saw your face light up with joy and excitement. It touched my heart to see you so happy… so youthful and energetic. I wanted to wrap you in my arms at that moment, freezing the look on your face so I could look at it forever._

"_It was the best day ever, Quil!" you had crowed, crawling back onto your chair at the table where you had been messily dunking Oreos into some milk. Shaking my head in amusement, I had gotten a towel, wiping up the mess you had made. _

"_Why was it a good day?" I inquired, and watched as your face suddenly grew shy, a rarity for you. _

"'_Cause…" you had mumbled, suddenly very preoccupied with the top of my head. I raised my eyebrows as I plopped into the chair next to you, tilting my head to the side in interest. _

"_Come on, Claire! You know you have to tell me?" I pouted you, reaching out to tickle you gently. I made my eyes go wide and gave you little whimpers, but there was a glint in my eye to let you know I was just teasing. _

_You let out a loud sigh, crossing your arms in exasperation. Your face was now contorted in amused annoyance, your nose wrinkled and your eyes squished together. _

"_You promise not to tell __anyone__?" you had asked, the most serious expression on your face, I almost laughed. But I put on my best serious expression and nodded. _

"_I promise, Claire-bear." I had nodded. You held out your hand, sticking your pinky finger out. _

"_You have to make a pinky promise!" you had trilled, glaring at me. Stifling a chuckle, I hooked fingers with you and we shook. You leaned in close, your face nervous as you put your lips against my ear. _

"_I'm dating Bobby Wilson!" you had whispered in a low voice. Your words made my heart skip a beat. _

_I knew of second grade dating, and I knew it was just for fun, in truth you would sooner pick your supposed boyfriend or girlfriend's nose than hold hands with him or her…_

_Yet, it still brought up an unusual emotion in me. I hadn't felt it in so long, I barely recognized it… But I realized what it was like a ton of bricks was hitting me… Jealousy. _

_I was actually jealous of you and the little dip-shit!_

_Now, don't get confused… Like I've said before, when you were young, I didn't feel anything romantic towards you at all. But that didn't mean I would want to share you with any other boy, even if it was for fake dating. I was immediately on edge, wanting to rip this "Bobby's' heart out. _

_I hated knowing that you cared for another boy in any way moderately close to what you would hopefully feel for me someday._

"_Quil?" your worried voice had torn me away from my thoughts. Looking at your slightly puzzled face, I forced a smile and rubbed your back soothingly._

"_That's… that's great Claire-bear," I whispered, suddenly remembering the joyous look you had shown me before. _

_I accepted with difficulty the fact that 'dating' this kid made you happy. To see that look on your face, the smile, the way your eyes lit up… I would do anything for it. _

_Even if it meant sharing you._

_So, there it is, in one simple letter. Your happiness is the single most important to me in the world. I hope you know that, I really do. _

_Please, please let me see you! We can talk things out, I can explain things to you, make you see things you might have not before. _

_You are the center of my universe, and I would do anything to keep my universe in balance._

_I love you, Claire-bear, never forget that._

_Always in your control, _

_Quil _

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**Well, hope you liked this!! Thanks a million and eight for the reviews!! Hopefully ya'll can do it again!!!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**

**PS, Next chapter will be The Seventh Letter, Age Eight**


	7. The Seventh Letter, Age Eight

**Chapter Seven – The Seventh Letter, Age Eight**

_Dear Claire,_

_Hi, Hun. _

_I don't really know how else I can beg you, or plead with you to let me explain more… to let me explain everything. Everything hurts, so I don't know what exactly to write. _

_I just want to let you know how much I love you, and how much I've taken care of you in the past year. Oh… maybe I can jot something down quickly for you._

_You had just gotten the flu, a horrible sickness. Your mother had called me that morning, notifying me that you would be staying home for the day, and also asked me if I could come over. She had an important business meeting, and pleaded with me that she couldn't miss it._

_Of course, I would spend the day with you anyway, no question about it. I arrived with your favorite movie, 'Up', and a whole bag of chicken noodle soup. Your mother had let me in with a smile, hurriedly checking her watch before rushing out herself._

"_Claire!" I had called, climbing the stairs three at a time to get to you. I heard a moan from your room, and then a retching sound. My heart sank as I heard you make the noise, and I dropped the bags I had in my arms, racing to your room. You had a bucket in your lap, your face pale as a ghost as you threw up._

_I had helped you and… Hell, Claire. I can't do this._

_I don't know if I can stand not being with you anymore. _

_I'm sorry, I know this is short, but I need to have some kind of response from you, please!_

_I love you, forever._

_Your caretaker, _

_Quil_

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**Hey ya'll! So short, I know... But like Quil said in the letter, he's in a lot of pain, and can't write. I didn't write this much because I'm lazy if that's what you were thinking!! **

**But next chappie will be much longer, I promise! Claire is going to let Quil get a little visit with her!! **

**O, one more thing.... THANKS so MUCH for all the reviews!! It would be awesome if everyone could send it another one!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	8. The Eight Letter, Age Nine

**Chapter Eight - The Eighth Letter, Age Nine**

_Dear Quil,_

_Wow, you are amazing. So amazing that, no matter what you say, I don't deserve you... I'm sorry I haven't been replying, or anything... I'm going to write all of the answers up, and send them to you at once, because I don't know if I'm ready to see you so soon._

_I'm really sorry I've been hurting you... It tortures me that you are feeling pain because of me. I hate that I have so much... control over your emotions. I loved all the memories... all of them._

_When I was reading them, a smile spread across my face when I read all of them, and a few happy tears fell off of my face. I had no idea you loved me that much, and I'll say once again that I don't deserve you. _

_Since you shared so many memories with me, I thought maybe I should share one with you... You seemed to be going through each year, so I guess I'll continue with that. I was nine, and it happened at the beginning of my fourth grade year... I think you know what I'm talking about now._

_So, it was a week after we did all our testing, and the beginning of a Monday. I was sitting with all of my stuff gathered and ready for social studies, anticipating a test on all the state capitals, when a voice floated through Mrs. Shepard's intercom. _

_"Mrs. Shepard, could you please send Claire Penning to the office, please?" I froze as a chorus of 'oh's' echoed through the room, but only raised my eyebrows innocently at the teacher. She had dismissed me quickly, and I had bounded to the office, nerves racking my body. I remember pondering why I was in trouble... Did they think I was doing something wrong? I was a little angry as I realized that my class might be thinking bad things about me. _

_"Hi, I'm Claire Penning. I got called to the office in front of my whole class, and thank you for making them think I'm like... one of the people who throws their shoes on the roof, because that is NOT me. That is Bobby Gill and Runner Gerard and Casey-Ann Alone. I swear!" My voice grew higher with each word I spoke, my hands flailing wildly with each word I spoke. (Wow, I was quite the character, wasn't I?) _

_"Calm down, Ms. Penning! You aren't in trouble, alright? You can go see the principal now, your parents are apparently in the hospital, so your Uncle Quail came." I was relieved and confused at her words... I didn't have an uncle, much less one named Quail..._

_And then, I opened the door, and saw you. A feeling of happiness and peace washed over me, as it always did upon seeing you. "Quil!" I had squealed, racing up to give you a hug. _

_"Ms. Penning, take a seat please, I wanted to speak to you about something very important." The principal was older, gray hairs streaking her hair now and again, and I remembered to be very kind for the rest of the year before she retired. _

_I obediently sat next to you, shooting you confused glances. "Claire, I was just talking with your uncle here, and he said I should address you. Honey, your test scores were high. Very high. I had a talk with your teacher earlier in the week, and she says that you have no difficulty in class, and to her it seems as though the work is too easy for you... So, we were wondering if you wanted to skip a grade?" Mrs. Whats-her-name smiled gently upon finishing her sentence._

_My eyes had widened like golf balls... I was in shock. I couldn't believe that I, Claire Penning, was actually smart enough to possibly skip to fifth grade! The idea took me completely by surprise, and my head was spinning. I did think it over breifly, and realized it made a lot of sense. Most of the work was incredibly easy for me, I was the first to finish the tests, the homework, everything. _

_"Uh... could I maybe... think about it, or something?" I asked uncertainly, blinking steadily. Mrs. Whats-her-name smiled again, nodding. _

_"Yes, of course dear. Why don't you take the day off, and think about it over the weekend, too? Can you promise me an answer on Monday?" I could your gaze penetrating me as I nodded._

_"Alright, then! I'll just record it here, and your uncle here can take you home." You had stood up, reaching out to take my hand. You thanked the teacher on our way out, and then turned to me with an amused smile._

_"Wow, Claire-bear! That's amazing! I always told you you were the smartest girl ever, and now this proves you are!" You had laughed, a twinkle in your eyes. I can't believe how I didn't notice them more, the way they glinted off the sun, their green color like emeralds drawing me in to their beauty. _

_"I'm going to do it, Quil. I wanna do it." I still really don't know what made up my mind, but the idea was stuck in my head, and my heart and my head were telling me to. _

_"That's great Claire-bear... your momma and daddy are gonna be so proud." I smiled up at you then, loving you more than I ever had._

_Love, your Claire-bear_

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**Hope you enjoy this! Sorry for the slight lateness, I was trying to figure out where to go with the rest of this! Happy Thanksgiving to all americans, and hopefully americans and everybody else will be able to review!!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	9. The Ninth Letter, Age Ten

**Chapter Nine – The Ninth Letter, Age Ten**

_Dear Quil, _

_Well, I admit, I did have to take a ten minute break after writing that last one. Because every word I spoke was truthful… You were there for me, always._

_My brother, as the baby, captured my mother's attention the most, and my sister was a daddy's girl, so I was kind of stuck awkwardly in the middle. I remember that instead of them having to scoot over and make room for me, I would go to you instead. I loved being with you, somehow subconsciously knowing that you loved me more than anyone else in the world. _

_It was a great feeling, having you there for me for every nightmare, every insult thrown my way. Bullies became nothing to me after talking with you, I could solve fights with friends after seeking your advice… you say I'm the special one, but in truth, it's you. It's you all the way. _

_So- I guess I'm just going to retrieve a memory, my most memorable one from when I was ten. It was a Saturday morning, and mom was bummed because Hanna was a senior now, and didn't want to go to anything in public with her anymore. So, she took me to Port Angeles for some shopping. _

_Mathew had then started his stretch of getting better, and she was in a happy mood, so she babbled the entire ride. I had sat there with my patience being tested, wishing I could have gone with you to see Aunt Emily and Uncle Sam… I loved visiting, because I also loved seeing Embry and Brady and the rest of the pack, who were like uncles to me. _

_Finally, we pulled up in front of a mall, and she smiled at me. "Now, remember Claire, to stay close to me." She warned. I rolled my eyes as I hopped out of the car, pursing my lips in annoyance._

"_Yes, mother. I know." I remarked in a sassy tone. She sighed as she came up to walk by me, squeezing my shoulder quickly before dropping her hand. We walked into the mall, and she pointed to a store window filled with white and pink frill, not my kind of clothes._

"_Mom, I'm actually going to go over there." I whispered to her. She nodded absentmindedly as she took off in the opposite direction. I headed to a music store, CD's lining the shelves. I scanned the pictures on the front, scrunching my nose when I figured I was looking at country music- ugh. I moved to another row, and saw only more country. I was getting annoyed as I walked through the store, and all they seemed to have was rap, country, R&B, and contemporary. Contemporary was okay, but not that interesting._

_Finally, I turned away from the store with a disgusted look on my face, and set out to find the store my mother was in. I looked all around, and didn't find her. I shrugged my shoulders, I knew it wasn't a big deal. I just leaned against the window for a few minutes, waiting for her to stop by. She didn't._

_I was a little worried as I traveled further down the mall, looking in every store I thought she might be interested in for her. I was a little scared when I turned around, and tried to find the exit we had used._

_Later, I would find out that she had stopped into the bathroom quick, and had thought I was still safely in the music store. But then, I didn't know that. And later, I would find out that I used the wrong exit. But then, I didn't know that._

_My panic had risen when I found there were only twenty-three cars in that parking lot, none of them my mothers. _

_And, because I was panicked, and because I was only ten, I had concluded stupidly that she had left without me. "I can't believe this!" I shouted to the sky. Then, I was in shock that my mom would leave me behind. I knew that I was her least favorite child, but I thought that she had still loved me! _

_I was still crying as I started to walk home. I didn't have a phone, and I was the only one in the sixth grade, too. My parents had said that they didn't have one when they were younger, so why should I need one? Well, I figured that they wanted me to get lost. So I started walking, setting my way for La Push. _

_As it got darker and darker, and my feet got more tired, and I started shivering, my sobs got louder. Truthfully, I had no idea where I was going. It was completely dark out, and I was scared as shit._

_And then, quite suddenly, I heard the screeching of tires behind me. Glancing back, I saw a car coming full speed down the road, and my panic went into overdrive. My heart had started hammering inside my chest as I sprinted away._

_I mean, I thought it was some sociopathic kidnapper or something! I thought for a second that the person was going to kill me or something. _

_But then, it pulled over to the side of the road, and you hopped out looking furious… Yet, I was so fricken relieved. I stopped in my tracks, and let you run to me, and scoop me into your arms. I was still sobbing as you squeezed me to your chest. _

"_What in __**hell's fucking name**__ were you thinking?" you growled. It was the first time you ever said 'fuck' in front of me, and I was a little caught off guard. _

"_My mom left me at th-the mall, so I had to start walking home." I had cried to you. You had sighed, holding me tighter._

"_Oh, Claire. You have to stay with your mom. You realize you scared me to death?" you had whispered. And then you had carried me to your car. On the drive home, you made me feel so much better, as you always do. _

"_Don't ever do that again, Claire. I almost died when I heard." You whispered painfully. I then placed my hand on your shoulder, and leaned in real close._

"_I promise." _

_And I still do._

_With love, Claire _


	10. The Tenth Letter, Age Eleven

**Chapter Ten – The Tenth Letter, Age Eleven**

_Dear Quil,_

_You realize it's been ten days since I last saw you? Hell, that's been a record since… hmm. That is a record. Holy crap, I haven't been parted with you for more than four days since I was two. That's… weird. You have to admit…_

_Anyway, this next memory will in fact be a short one, why? Well, it's when I almost went to camp._

_It was cloudy as hell, as usual, and I was freaking out because I didn't want to miss mu flight to California. Me and my best friend, Caramel, were going there for the week._

_I remember you not being too thrilled about it; actually, I remember wondering why in the heck you were moping around so much after I announced the news… Of course, I know why know. "MOM! Oh MY god! Don't even TRY to pack that bathing suit! And go AWAY Hanna! GOD, I don't care if my yelling amuses your stupid high-school-senior self!" I remember screaming at everyone, my blood pressure no doubt had been rising._

"_MOTHER, FATHER! You do realize that my ride will be here in like, THIRTY MINUTES!" I screamed, jumping up and down. Both of my parents had shot me irritated looks, and Matt looked at me like I was crazy. _

"_Claire, shut up." My mother said just as I was about to yell again. We held each other's gazes for a second before I let out a loud, dramatic sigh._

"_Ugh, fine mother. But be warned- my family will be the death of me!" I squealed loudly, falling against the wall. Dad rolled his eyes, going back to trying to cram shut my small suitcase and mom snickered as she started to pack my duffel bag with my swimsuits._

"_Calm, Claire-bear." I suddenly heard your voice behind me, and your hands rubbing my shoulders. I let out a happy giggle as I spun around, throwing my arms around you. I couldn't reach that far up, of course, so you grabbed me, tugging me up so my legs were situated around your waist._

_Looking back, I think that maybe people who new about our… imprint, would find this gross, but I never gave it a second thought, and thankfully neither did my parents. _

"_Oh, thank fucking god that you're here, I thought I was gonna have to leave without saying goodbye to you!" I had frowned, burying my head in your neck. You had sighed, shifting me to your hip as you leaned against the doorjamb._

"_Sorry, Hun. But you know I would never say goodbye without you."_

_Lately, I've been remembering moments like these, and wondering how I couldn't have questioned our relationship through the years. I was always so… attached to you. I'm still disbelieving of my stupidity of this situation._

_Anyway, so I looked into your eyes and I saw… such sadness. It was like you didn't want me to go… Wait, no. It was more like you wanted me to, but you wouldn't do well without me, or something._

_I didn't really understand that at the time, but I do now, and it's really sweet. I'm touched that you felt that for me, even then. _

"_Mom?" I whispered suddenly, breaking our gazer with a blush._

"_Yeah, sweetie?" she had hummed absentmindedly, zipping my bag shut with finality._

"_I don't want to go anymore." I said. She seemed to choke on nothing for a moment before looking up at me._

"_Claire Amanda Penning. You begged me and your father for weeks, you raised money to help pay for it, you have talked about it non-stop ever since we said you could go. What in the world are you talking about?" my mom said, a sharp tone in her voice. I sucked in air before speaking._

"_Mom, we can take the money back out any time, and I'll even let you keep the money I earned. I just don't want to go anymore." I glanced out of you at the corner of my eye, and by the slightly happy, yet startled look on your face, I judged that my decision was a good one._

"_I'd much rather go the beach with Quil, anyway." I said, shrugging it off. Mom then threw her hands in the air, muttering what I'm sure was gibberish swear words under her breath._

_Sighing, I turned back to you, giving you another hug, and I knew right then that I would much, much rather be with you than go to any silly camp._

_Love you with all my heart,_

_Claire _

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**Hey! So, I know it is been too long since I updated, but here's the chapter! I actually have the other one all written down in a notebook (I had to face a mega-long cardrive) so I'll type that up and hopefully have it posted later tonight or tomorrow!! **

**LOVED every review!! Thank you SO much! **

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	11. The Eleventh Letter, Age Twelve

**Chapter Eleven – The Eleventh Letter, Age Twelve**

_Dear Quil,_

_Hi. I'm sorry. I truly and honestly am. But I'm hurt too, and I'm almost ready, just you wait. I'll be able to see you again soon… I just need a bit more time to gather all my bearings and sort exactly what I want._

_It's just so difficult with you there sometimes, because when I'm with you, all other things seem to disappear, and it's just the two of us, and nothing else matters. Sadly, that's not the real case._

_Anyway… so, this is when I was eleven, and it was seventh grade. I had made friends in my grade at this time; even though when I'd originally started everybody'd thought I was a freak. I was standing by my locker, twisting the lock hurriedly. I remember needing to go more quickly, because I was running late for first period._

"_Claire." I heard a snarky voice behind me that I would recognize anywhere. Sighing internally, I turned slowly, hugging my geography books to my chest. _

"_Hello, Marin." I smiled, trying to hide a gag. She was standing in all her snobby glory, her uneven teeth sticking out of her mouth like she was a walrus._

"_Why, hello Ms. Pedophile, wanna ditch class? We can go to the bathroom; the teachers don't go in there in the middle of class." She offered, popping the gum she had in her mouth. _

"_Um… okay." I whispered hesitantly. I was pretty bubbly as a kid, as you know, but when it came to schoolwork and getting to class, I was dead serious. But, I was kind of wanting to ditch… it was something fun, the wildest thing I could do at that age. Plus, I kind of wanted to see what they meant about the whole 'Ms. Pedophile' comment._

_Marin and her friend Casey were leading me there, their arms linked loosely in a way that made me want to puke. They were like those old friends in the movies and stuff that sat on each other's laps and all that stuff. Doing that sort of thing was so out… it was almost like they liked Lady Gaga or something. _

_They pushed the door open, giggling slightly at the look on my face as they pulled me in. "Come on, Claire. Don't be such a freaking dip." Marin rolled her eyes. I hissed, narrowing my eyes as I stepped in completely, leaning against a stall. _

"_There. I'm in, I'm doing it…. Now what do you want?" I barked out, giving them a hard glare. They both shrank back from my gaze, nervously smoothing out their pants. Before they could answer, I suddenly remembered the comment they'd made earlier. "Wait, what did you guys mean by Ms. Pedophile?" I asked them. They both blushed a bit, but their snarky looks came back in a millisecond. _

"_Well, you always hang around with that, like, fort- year-old." She snorted, crossing her arms tight across her chest. Anger flared up bright in me as she said this, and I my face turned bright red._

"_Yes, he's been in my life for forever. What's the problem with me being close to him? He's like… my best friend. And he's only twenty-five." I retorted, venom leaking my voice._

"_Whatever. Don't you find it odd though, that a twenty-five year old man is sticking by you so much? I mean, he's like fifteen years older than you!" This time it was Casey who spoke, her squeaky voice colored with a smirk. _

"_Fourteen… he's fourteen years older than me. And he's like an uncle, and hanging out with your uncle isn't creepy." I said, but my voice was weak, pondering._

"_Yeah, um, okay. I don't even hang out with my real uncle, much less a fake one. Claire, we wanted to talk to you because we're sort of… worried, that he might be stalking you or something. You know, the whole child molester thing." By the look of interest on her face, it looked like she was looking for gossip more than worrying about me. _

"_Actually, Quil cares about me more than anyone else, so shut your fu-reaking mouths." I snapped, getting irritated. I mean, how dare they suggest you were some sort… of creep? Because you weren't… and you still aren't. _

"_Ehm, okay. You don't have freak out about it. Just know who to talk to if he does anything." Marin flashed a weird smile, winking. Trying to hide a gag, I shook my head. _

"_Except, he won't. So buzz off wores." I hissed at them, tossing my hair. Their mouths fell open in shock as they flipped me off, fuming as they turned around. _

_I smirked when I realized that they had to be graced with my presence for another forty minutes, since they couldn't get caught ditching. _

"_So, you bitches gonna leave or what?" I sneered at them. I know, I know… I shouldn't have, but it was just so fun to piss them off. _

"_Oh, shut up. You're such a… a brat." Casey stammered angrily._

"_Really Casey, really? 'Brat' is all you could come up with?" I snickered, rolling my eyes. _

"_Oh shut it! God knows that you'll be a fucking home wrecker when you grow up." Marin sneered angrily, flipping me off again. And that was the last straw. I know that you would be disappointed with me later, but that hardly crossed my mind as I dove at Marin, starting to claw her hair. _

_We screeched as we pulled each other's hair, stumbling out of the doorway and into the hall. "You – bitch!" she screamed loudly as I slapped her across the face before kneeing her stomach. Her hands let go of my hair to push me to the floor, and pretty soon she was on top of me, shaking my shoulders. _

_I let out a cat-like cry before kicking her you-know-what and pushing her off of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see people starting to gather around, having poured out of the classrooms. My guess was that the teachers had rushed off the office. _

"_You ho! God, get the fuck off of me!" Marin screamed as she grabbed my hair again, pulling it hard. I screeched before knocking her hands out of the way, tired of this girl fight-ish shit. _

"_You need to learn to shut your trap!" I warned her before balling my hand into a fist, swinging it back and letting it smash forward. It hit her jaw perfectly, and it felt good so I pulled back again, preparing to give another swing, when she kicked my knee, sending me stumbling backward in surprise. I was about to charge back at her when a voice interrupted us._

"_Ms. Penning! Ms. Smart!" The familiar voice of our Mr. Jones, our principal, interrupted us and we both shrank away from each other immediately. _

_So, I won't go into detail about the trip to the office, or the weeks of detention we'd both have to serve… What I really remember is coming home to find you, freaking out when you saw the dried blood on my clothes, my puffy lip, and my bruised forehead._

_After I explained I'd gotten into a fight, you left it at that, for which I'll forever be grateful for. I was just so angry at the fact that she was talking about you that way, in fact I'm still pissed about it. _

_But I wasn't ready to tell you then, even though I can tell you now. I know you were probably curious as hell to know that was all about. So now you know. I hope this will tell you that I love you so much, as much as you love me. _

_Forever and always, _

_Claire-bear_

_PS, Just so ya know, Marin walked away from that fight with the same injuries as me… plus a black eye! Oh ya baby! _

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**Hey! So here is the next chapter! It would be great it people could review, review, review!!**

**Alright, so I am going to focuse all of my extra time and energy on finishing this fic before 2010! There are four chapters plus the epilogue left, so I'm gonna be typing away for the next eleven days! **

**Alright, that's all, so thanks to everyone for reading this chapter! The next one will be 'The Twelfth Letter, Age Thirteen'**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	12. The Twelfth Letter, Age Thirteen

**Chapter Twelve – The Twelfth Letter, Age Thirteen**

_Dear Quil,_

_Slut, whore, hoar… Jesus, I remember those names so well. They were thrown at me my whole eighth grade year, and then even a bit in ninth grade. _

_I remember why, too. Unfortunately that's clear as a bell. I want to thank you for helping me get over that incident, by the way… If you hadn't of been there, I don't know what I would have done. And come on, you know what I'm talking about when I say 'the incident'. Though, I also know that you're kind of wondering what in hell happened, considering I was too nervous, too scared, to tell anybody. _

_Well, guess maybe I'll explain it now… _

_So, it was a Thursday, and I was standing by my locker with my Caramel and our other friend, Isabelle, when their faces suddenly flushed, like they couldn't believe they were seeing something. And turning around, I found out why._

_There, walking right towards us; was Mason Tam. I know it's so totally cliché, but he was the sort of guy that every girl in school would want to go out with. He was a year older than us, a freshman, and we were majorly freaking out, but we tried, tried being the key word here, to not show. _

"_Hi, Claire." He said smoothly as he approached, offering a sort of half smile. I found my heart skipping a beat as I smiled back, trying not to stretch my mouth so far. _

"_Um, hi, um, Mason." I stammered, blushing as I looked at my feet. I could faintly see a hint of a smirk in his eyes, but thought nothing of it. (Stupid me, right?)_

"_Could I talk to you alone?" he asked in the same boring, uninterested voice. At this point, I have no idea what in the world attracts girls to him so much. He's such a slouch… but anyway._

"_Um… sure, I mean yes. Urgh, yeah, definitely…" I trailed off after a moment, my cheeks turning even redder as I blushed. He led me to a nearby corner, and in the back round I could hear my friends giggling, adding to my embarrassment._

"_So, I was wondering if you wanted to head to the movies with me tonight." My mouth almost fell open in shock. I could hardly believe that I, Claire Penning, was going to go out with him… Mason Tam! (Yack-ugh-barf, barf) Just when I was about to burst from pure happiness, a fact crashed on my shoulders like a rocket landing on the moon._

"_Wait a minute, Mason- you're dating Marin." I frowned at him. I remembered last year when he'd first asked her out, how she always said that their names went 'perfectly' with each other, 'Marin and Mason!'. _

"_We broke up," he said easily, as though it didn't matter a bit. I was a bit shocked, but shook it off. I mean, he had asked me out? I had a very good reason not to be concerned for his well being from the break up! _

"_Then yes, I will." I grinned at him. He nodded once, and leaned forward. My breath caught, for a moment thinking he was going to peck me on the lips, but instead he started to talk, filling me in on where it would be, and when. _

_I realized that this was unusual. I hadn't been asked out before, but Caramel and Isabelle had, and they'd always have to wait at least two days before going on the actual date, even if it was a Friday. I nodded and smiled, promising to be ready at six. He had told me we were going to the park, and I had no idea how that was going to be a normal date, yet I agreed._

_I waited for you that day with a glint in my eye, a bounce in my step. I was so excited, after all, my first date. I know from the smile that crossed your lips that you'd noticed, but you didn't say anything about it as I climbed into the car. Instead we talked about random other junk I'd experienced during the day. _

_Finally, as we walked into my house, I cracked and told you. "Hey Quil, wanna know what happened to be today?" I grinned at you, doing a little dance in a singsong voice. You grinned real wide, shaking your head slowly as you glanced over me. _

"_Of course I do, silly girl." You chuckled, heading to my refrigerator as I plopped into a seat at the kitchen table. _

"_Well- okay. So, a guy asked me out." I giggled happily, clapping my hands. You almost dropped the plate of frozen sugar cookies you had unwrapped for me, mouth falling open. "Can you even believe it?" I had grinned, looking at you expectantly. I guess I had imagined you would smile one of your special smiles and congratulate me, but you didn't. _

_Now I guess I know why you didn't. That whole imprint, protective thing, right? Or maybe, just maybe, you were jealous? Ooh, um… Forget I wrote that. It was stupid! Blah!__**JUST SKIP OVER THIS LINE!! DON'T READ IT!!!!!**_

_Anyway, you just stared at me for a moment, before forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace. "That's, um, great Claire-bear." You said quietly, before quickly changing the subject. I only wondered very briefly that afternoon why you weren't more ecstatic for me._

_When I walked to the park that afternoon and met Mason, things got awkward very fast. He didn't talk, we just walked. He didn't offer to hold my hand or even attempt to interact with me at all. Finally, we started down a path in the forest, and he took a sudden veer to the left. I was surprised, and stumbled._

_He caught me in his arms, and I looked up into his eyes. For the first time I noticed how… dark they were. I had once thought that they were warm, brown and soft. Now they were frozen, peering through me._

"_You're warm." He suddenly whispered his voice a purr. I couldn't move, petrified as he suddenly grabbed my arms, forcing them down and to my sides. Wait- before you read on- please don't freak out. He didn't rape me or anything. He just wanted to make-out with me._

_He leaned forward then, his tongue already poking out of his lips as he made his move. I let a gasp as I took a sharp step back. I was shocked. I mean, sure going out with someone would be fun… But kissing was something I'd planned to save until I had an actual boyfriend. _

"_Claire- what the fuck are you doing?" he howled angrily. I hissed as I slapped him. I understood now why he asked me out. He thought I'd be 'easy' just because I hadn't ever been on a freaking date. _

"_You- you fucking bastard! Jesus! I can't believe I agreed on going on this date! You're such an asshole!" I screamed at him, angry light gleaming in my eyes. _

_I pushed past the trees and found the path, running the length of the park and then going to the sidewalk, trying to keep back tears as I ran to my house. I still can't believe the disaster that had turned out to be._

_But as I learned on Monday when I came to school, that wasn't the worst. Mason had spread a rumor that I'd begged him to come, and then came on to him like a slut. He had said I'd pushed my boobies up, trying to get him to let me give him a blow. _

_And so that's why eighth grade was terrible. Please, don't get mad. I believe that I held the situation responsibly, and Mason moved away last year anyway. _

_But another thing- I wanted to let you know that you were the one who helped me so much through this. I don't know what I would have done throughout all the jeering, the name-calling, the hateful notes in my locker. _

_I love you. With all my heart. _

_Always yours, _

_Claire Amanda Penning _

**Hi! So like I said I was going to try and finish this before 2010, so I hope to get another chapter done tomorrow since I have the whole day off! ;D **

**Three more chapters and the epilogue left! The next chapter is 'The Thirteenth Letter, Age Fourteen'**

**So, review please! Sadly I only got about five reviews!! But thanks a BUNCH to the people who did review!!**


	13. The Thirteenth Letter, Age Fourteen

**Chapter Thirteen – The Thirteenth Letter, Age Fourteen**

_Dear Quil,_

_So, I think this will be last letter of the day, and I'm going to send them out. I'll write another tomorrow night… I have a lot more things figured out after reading all these letters, and writing back to you. I'm going to let you know what I've found out tomorrow, when I write another note._

_So, this is something that's very personal, and up till you read this, no one will have figured it out. I mean, it's nothing terrible. I guess I just hope nobody noticed it that young. I mean, you were there, actually… But it was just something that ran through my head, and stubbornly stayed there. _

_So anyway, it was a real cloudy day, but it wasn't supposed to rain, which meant that of course, we had to go to the beach and hang out. I remember we've been doing that since I was what, two? Does that mean we've been going since you first imprinted on me? _

_Anyway, so we were going to the beach, and as usual, I was excited. We hadn't gone very much as I got closer to fourteen and fifteen, adding to the fact that it'd been nonstop rain for a while._

"_Hey Quil- do you realize that we NEED to find some rocks for my collection. The number seems to be getting awfully compared to the days that I've been alive." I smiled at you, peeking over my sunglasses to give you a little wink. You rolled your eyes as you pulled into the parking lot, pulling your pick-up into our usual spot._

"_I'll help you find some, Claire-bear." You told me as we hopped out of the truck. We got out the blanket and a backpack, which held all the necessities we'd figure we'd need. We walked a bit down the hard sand, our feet making soft scuffling noises. _

"_So, anything interesting happening at school?" This had been a common question at the time, when you wanted to break awkward silences. I think things just got weirder the more we- oh, excuse me- I aged. _

"_Umm… not much. Well, I think that Runner likes me." I added on. It kind of surprises me I wasn't hesitant to tell you about boys and all that junk, it's just so easy to talk to you. And I really don't ever hold anything back…_

"_Oh, really?" your voice had a slight edge to it, so I just rode it off as the kind of big-brother protectiveness. We'd been having relapses of that stage, even though it'd really stopped by the time I was twelve. You became more of a best friend to me. _

"_Yup. But he hasn't had the courage to ask me out. Caramel and Issa keep telling me that if he does ask, I should say no because he's a year younger, but I was supposed to be in that grade. That got them to agree to it a little, plus they have to admit that he's a bit cute, even they're fifteen and he's only thirteen. I mean, sure his birthday won't be until March, but then I'll only-" at a glance up at you, I noticed that you hadn't been listening. Your eyes were glazed over, an almost angry glint in them as you stared off into the water._

"_Umm, Quil, are you alright?" I whispered nervously, shifting my feet as I stood there. You snapped out of it immediately, looking at me apologetically._

"_Sorry, Claire. I'm sorry." You then whispered, though part of that glazed look come back into your eyes. _

_I quickly snapped my fingers in front your face, giving you an annoyed glare. "Let's just sit here, Quil. I see a bunch of rocks right there." I smiled at you a bit, laying down the blanket. I collapsed onto it, giggling as you did too._

_We started to talk about other things that I kind of have a hard time remembering… um, I think about my grades, stuff like that. And then, the weather, though still really cloudy, turned humid. You started breathing a bit heavily before finally sighing, and then removing your shirt in a quick motion._

_Oh… my… god. I had seen you without a shirt before, but I think that was the first time I really, really saw it. I don't think I've ever seen anything as perfect as your sculpted eight pack... well, besides your smile._

_Oh Jesus this is embarrassing. But I promised myself I'd write… Well, okay. Here I go, try not to be too grossed out with me, please?_

_So there you were, leaning back on your hands with your chin in the air… if you'd had long hair you would be like one of those old movie romance type guys, only hotter. (Wow, still in shock I wrote that) _

_After only a few moments of me staring at you with my mouth open, you noticed and unfortunately I had to look away, with a huge blush coloring my cheeks._

_And then we collected the rocks and had a fun day on the beach, me trying not to stare too long at you._

_And that was really when I started to kind of feel butterflies for you, that moment. I have no idea still where it manifested from, it just did. At the end of the day, you put your shirt back on and the feeling sort of… passed. _

_But I would still look at your face, the curves and angles of it, and dream and smile and giggle. I remember the nights I'd spend dreaming of you, nothing too horrible, just of you smiling and us hugging… and sometimes kissing._

_And so, that is how I started to love you. And don't be all like, 'man, I should have never taken my shirt off,' or something like that, because let me tell you, I would have started to fall for you anyway. _

_Alright, well, guess that's it for this letter. I hope you'll be able to read all these with a smile. I promise to write one tomorrow morning._

_With lots a love, _

_Claire _

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**So, I am sad to report that there will be two more chapters, followed by the epilogue!! THANK you to all people who reviewed!! I'm so happy right now, thanks so much!!**

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	14. The Fourteenth Letter, Age Fifteen

**Chapter Fourteen – The Fourteenth Letter, Age Fifteen**

_Dear Quil, _

_Hey. So, I hope that you got those letters… I really do. Maybe it will prove I love you, and that I'm not a total schmuck? I hope so, I really do… You're so perfect, I can hardly stand it. I don't deserve to have you in the first place, and now I'm pushing you away…_

_Please find it in your big, great heart to forgive me? I mean, I know that you've forgiven me before..._

_For instance, that time Issa and Caramel dragged me to Port Angeles, to that club?" I still don't know how they got those fake ID's, or how they found the dumbest security in the bunch to actually let us in…_

_They'd been begging me the entire week, and I'd been begging my parents. I hadn't even really thought of you, which I feel kind of guilty for, since you'd become much more to me than ever before by that time. When mom and dad finally accepted, I was ecstatic! I mean, being a year younger than them in age had sometimes been a setback, so I was relieved when they finally let me go._

_I remember sending you a little text, letting you know where I'd be. (Only not really, I think I just said something about seeing a movie) They picked me up, bouncing in their seats with excitement. Issa's senior boyfriend, Nick, hooked us up, as he put it, with fake ID's so we could get into a drinking club…_

_I and Runner had had to climb in the back, Issa and her boyfriend Edgar, who was also a senior, sitting in the middle with Caramel and Nick in the front. As much as I'm ashamed to say, I spent most of the time kissing Runner, because frankly, I liked to make-out… I mean, who doesn't? Well, erm, anyway…_

_We pulled into the parking lot and Nick slipped us all the paper cards or whatever they were, and led us to an entrance on the side of the building... We had slipped by without problem, the so-called security letting us pass without more than a quick glance at our fake ID's and a short once-over on us. _

_It was louder than I expected, I'll put it at that. The music pounded in my ears and everybody seemed to move with the rhythm, grinding into each other. By looking around, I knew that he'd brought us to a college-aged club, or around that age. Everyone was younger, and everyone also looked so drunk they would probably fall onto their asses if they had another glass of alcohol._

_My nerves immediately went on high alert, your lengthy, hour-long lectures about being sober and keeping my virginity and never to use drugs and all that shit were suddenly ringing through my ears. My stomach seemed to drop to my knees as Runner led me to a different part of the club. He was a freshman, in the lowest grade of all of us, yet he looked the oldest. He had a rougher build, and though a little on the short side for the other boys in our group, he towered over my puny five foot two._

"_Wait here, babe. I'm gonna go get us a drink." He grinned at me, flashing his dimples. My heart sputtered as I watched him walk away. I remember, and I'm really sorry if this hurts you, I didn't know anything at the time, but I loved him. _

"_Okay…" I said weakly as I watched him walk off, even though I knew he wouldn't hear me. I sighed as I leaned back against the wall, looking around so as to get a closer look at the place._

_But quite suddenly, there was a man in front of me. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, and maybe would have been handsome if not for the stench of alcohol wafting off his body and the mean glint in his eyes as he pushed up against my body rubbing his you-know-what on my waist. _

_Uncomfortably, I edged away from him, but he grabbed me, pressing his mouth to my ear. "Where're you going? I ain't done with ya yet." The man sneered angrily. Quickly, I raised my arms, attempting to push him off of me, but I was too small._

"_Get off of me!" I demanded, still trying to push him off. _

"_I don't have to listen to you, you slut…" the man then sneered before attempting to move in for a kiss. And then, I heard the most beautiful thing in the world… your voice._

"_She said to back away from her, you fucking bastard." You breathed, suddenly right behind the man. You were shaking fists clenched at your side. The minute the man backed away from me, he looked at you, eyes popping out of his head as he backed away. You then grabbed my arm, and a blush colored my cheeks. _

_I was really, really embarrassed, and I felt incredibly stupid for doing something so idiotic. We passed Runner, standing there with our drinks looking confused as you pulled me out of the exit. I shot him an apologetic look before we vanished from view._

_Your hand was still tightly enclosed around my arm as you pushed me in your car, buckling my seatbelt before slamming the door shut and stomping to the driver's seat. We drove in silence for a few minutes before I the tense quietness._

"_Quil- I'm really sorry." I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes. I could see your jaw tighten as you glanced at me. _

"_Yeah, okay. What in fucking HELL were you thinking Claire? Are you fucking insane?" you roared, your hands trembling on the wheels._

"_I- I didn't know there were creepers there." I whispered, and then another thought crossed my mind.  
"Wait a minute, why were you there?" I hissed after a second, narrowing my eyes. For the first time that night, you seemed at a loss, and I could faintly see red in your cheeks. _

"_Well… uh… you just better be glad I was there! I mean, who knows what that loser would have done!" you said after a second, glaring at me._

"_Fine then. Call it even?" I whispered, my voice just a little bit stronger. You sighed, and I could see that contemplating glint in your eyes._

"_Fine. It's even." You grumbled after a moment, and we left it at that. _

_But I wanted to let you know, I loved you a lot more after that. I can't even imagine what would have happened without you…_

_Love, Claire_

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**Heyla! So hoped you liked it! Please, please review!! I'm happy with the reviews I got though, very happy!!**

**This is actually based on a stupid thing I had to save my sister Donna from, meaning I was Quil... kinda creepy when you think of it like that... ANYWAY!! Remember to vote on the poll on my profile if you want updates to be even FASTER!!!**

**So, I kind of got messed up... turns out, the next chapter will be the epilogue. Tragic, I know, but it had to happen sometime! **

**As always, TwilightHeart21**


	15. The Epilogue, Age Sixteen

**The Epilogue, Age Sixteen**

I rocked back and forth on my bed, trying not to think of Quil. Two weeks. I've had to stay away from him for two fucking weeks… I hated it, hated it with all my heart and soul.

Yet, another feeling in me knew it was necessary. I had to find out my feeling s for Quil, I had to sort out what I knew and what I still wondered about. Of course, his constant letters made it harder to stay away…

Yet, writing back to him helped me a lot. It was like I could pour my heart out on that piece of paper, let everything go and just tell him my thoughts. My stomach lurched and my heart skipped a beat as I thought of him again…

I hadn't seen him in too long, much too long. My body seemed to ache for him; I was even angled towards the part of town his house was in. I missed his hugs and kind words and the routine we'd kept up every summer. He'd come by and wake me up by nine, make us breakfast which I would sleepily throw in the trash because frankly, Quil is not the best cook around, then I would pour myself a bowl of cereal.

We would either head to the park or the beach and talk, or play board games until lunch, and then we would make something together, followed by a movie and popcorn and after that we would pick a wild card and do something not on schedule.

We'd been doing it for as long as I could remember, and it happened every day possible. It was so unusual to not see his bright smile first thing in the morning…

"Claire Penning, you realize you're being a downright idiot, right?" my mother announced her presence with a loud voice, eyes narrowed as she settled onto my bed.

"Yeah, I know. I want to see him, bad." I whispered after a second, closing my eyes to keep back tears. "I think I love him." I added, gazing out the window. The sun was setting, colors of red and pink and purple lighting up the world. I wrapped my arms around my knees and drew them to my chest, breathing deeply as silent tears fell down my cheeks.

"Sweetie, then go. Go and find him and tell him. I have known Quil since you were two, and he is the guy for you. He's never, ever hurt you. He loves you more than _anyone_ on this earth. Regrettably, I say that as your mother." She sighed, rolling her eyes as she squeezed my leg.

"Mom, I just- Wait a moment." I thought it through. She was right… Quil really did love me more than anyone else…

In the process of me figuring out everything, such as where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do… I found out one thing for sure; wherever I may go, I want Quil to be right there beside me. He was everything important to me, and if that meant giving things up for him, fine.

He'd already given up so much for me. I mean, he'd spent fourteen years following around a kid. Heck, he might even be a virgin! And he's thirty already! The thought made me shiver… _thirty_.

I admit it was a bit creepy, though I comforted myself by the fact that he hadn't physically aged, and he sure hadn't aged in maturity either.

"Mom, I don't think I can go any longer without him." I said after a moment, locking gazes with her steady smile and supporting eyes.

"Then go, babe. Go find Quil." She said gently, reaching out to hug me tight. I held on for a moment, savoring this last bit of our conversation.

"Thanks mom!" I called out with a grin as I sprang up, sprinting out the door.

"Wait, Claire! This doesn't mean you can sleep with him or anything! You're still only sixteen! And… and don't be late for dinner!" Mom's voice grew fainter as I slipped out of the door, before finally cutting off. I pumped my legs harder than I ever had, not paying attention to the burning in them, but only my goal; Quil.

I guess it might have been kind of weird to have a person as a goal, but after years of blindly loving him, and weeks of being resistant to see him, it was like I was missing part of my heart. And I was in love with him, so in love that being away from him for too long hurt me.

As his house's figure grew in the distance, I ran even faster than before, my lungs screaming for air as I tried to leap that extra step, and then I was there, right in front of the walkway to his door. I was panting heavily as I stopped, my eyes scanning over the familiar place.

I bit my lip as I looked it over, trying to push down tears. It looked like nobody had set foot in it for _weeks_, more weeks than I'd spent away from him. Had he really been this depressed without me? Was imprinting really that special, that big, that he would go, like, crazy without me?

I sighed as I slowly walked up, banging on the door with my fist. I kept knocking, waiting impatiently for him to answer the door. After a minute, he still wasn't there. My nerves frayed the longer the seconds ticked away… Pretty soon, both of my fists were up, banging on the door frantically.

Was he not there? Or was he just not getting the door, because after all I'd put him through, he didn't want to see me anymore. The thought made my stomach flip-flop, and a nauseating feeling settled into my stomach as I staggered away from the door.

Hot tears fell down my cheeks as I slid to the ground, placing my head in my hands as my shoulders shook.

"Claire?" My heart skipped a beat as I hear his voice, heard him say my name. Ever so slowly, I looked up, and was utterly shocked by what I saw.

Quil was standing there, and he was gorgeous, but deep circles underlined his beautiful eyes… eyes that also looked defeated, exhausted. He looked like he had had trouble breathing while I was away.

"Oh, Quil… oh." I whispered, blinking rapidly to keep back more tears. He stepped forward, as if to embrace me, but then stopped, as if remembering something. The tears couldn't be held back after that as I stood up and flung myself at him.

He was surprised at first, but soon wrapped his arms around my waist, letting my head settle into his chest as the tears came stronger.

"I… am… so sorry!" I sobbed into his shirt, holding tighter.

"For what, Claire-bear? I did just as much as you, so don't blame anyone." He said in a calm voice, rocking me back and forth.

"You're so perfect, Quil." I whispered, closing my eyes. I heard him let out a low laugh, rumbling my body against his stomach.

"Okay babe, whatever you say." He whispered. At the name 'babe', my heart skipped a beat and I turned to him, eyes wide.

"Quil, I love you." The words spun out of my mouth before I could think about them, but I didn't regret them, not one bit. He looked like he was going to faint as he looked me over, and then shook his head as if in amazement.

"Oh, Claire, I love you too. I've loved so much throughout the years, without a doubt. But this is more than just loving you; this is me being _in_ love with you." He said softly, pushing back a strand of my hair. My breath cut off as I locked eyes with him…

His deep pools of chocolate warmed me, the pupils beckoning me to embrace the warmth of them… I was locked into him forever, my lips parted slightly as I stood on my tiptoes, pulling his head down the rest of the way.

Our lips met, and it was already complete bliss… something I'd dreamed about since I was twelve.

I gently ran my tongue across his lower lip, he shivered against me. Before I let my tongue slip inside of him, I pulled away slightly, once again locking eyes with him.

"Quil, I am utterly, completely, and hopelessly in love with you… and I will be, forever." I whispered before pulling him in again, feeling fireworks on my tongue as I slipped inside.

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**So, there is the last chapter! :( I'm mega sad to see this end, because I love Claire, and I love Quil! BUT I have some good news! I will be posting a Claire/Quil story that will accompany this… eventually. I have to finish off three stories first, unfortunately. Remember to put me on your authors list if you want to know when that's posted!!**

**THANKS so much for all the reviews!! It means so much and I want to thank everyone who's been reading this since the beginning, and those who've joined sometime in the middle!! Funnily enough, the song 'Possibility' by Lykke Li from the New Moon soundtrack inspired me with this chapter!**

**Here's a late Christmas present, or Hanukah or Kwanza gift, I guess! **

**Merry Christmas,**

**TwilightHeart21**


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